What is your elevator pitch? Doesn’t it depend on who is in front of you? Sick of people saying, “So, tell me about yourself”? Ah, but that will never go away. Unless you go away. Far, far away—where there are no people. So as long as you’re here, how do you talk about yourself authentically and compellingly? See “What To Say When You Talk About Yourself” for advice nine career enthusiasts (including myself) share with Beth Buelow on her blog, The Introvert Entrepreneur. Care to read more? Check out my earlier story on the topic: “How Do You Talk About Yourself?”

I’m endlessly amazed at how many of my clients and continuing education students share that they feel like impostors. No matter how many degrees and awards they’ve earned, what level they’ve reached in society’s pecking order, and how “together” they appear, right beneath their perfectly-pressed Prada exteriors, many don’t believe they’re as big a deal as you might think. It’s as if their greatest wins are accidents or they just get lucky each time they get a raise, a promotion, a new client, or an honor. To quote a fellow Psychology Today blogger, Lisa Rivero, who recently wrote about impostor syndrome, “One thing is certain: More success and more awards do not always bring the self-assuredness we seek.” Can you relate? (more…)

When fellow Psychology Today introvert blogger Sophia Dembling and I recently chatted by phone, we discovered that we both like communicating in sound bites—an efficient use of our introverts’ energy. So I interviewed Dembling, author most recently of The Introvert’s Way: Living a Quiet Life in a Noisy World, on Twitter. In case you missed it, I’ve excerpted our exchange below about fun, flâneurs, phones, and feeling good for introverts, even if life around you is, in Dembling’s words, “a Mountain Dew commercial.” (In case you don’t use Twitter, the @ symbol before our names is just the way our handles appear on that platform.) (more…)

Many of my clients fantasize about striking out on their own—saying toodles to the boss, the office politics, and the confines of company life. Of course, along with that comes kissing their coveted paychecks good-bye. For introverts, who are more detail oriented, think before taking action, and would rather spend more time listening than talking up their strengths, setting up shop for themselves can be daunting in its own ways. Yet it also comes with some advantages. Over the past couple of years I’ve had the pleasure of crossing paths with Beth Buelow, the coach, author, and popular blogger who runs The Introvert Entrepreneur. Buelow joins us today to share insights for introverts thinking of starting a business as well as those who have already gone down that path. (more…)

With the recent launch of her second edition of Introvert Power, Laurie Helgoe, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and author, is back to tell us about hiding places, luscious solitude versus dreaded loneliness, and some surprises about acting for introverts.

NA: Describe a highlight of the new edition of Introvert Power. (more…)

Tune in to my lively chat with Dr. Errol Gluck about the ins and outs of thriving as an introvert. Gluck, a hypnotist and life coach for over 35 years, interviews me for his podcast about famous introverts, public speaking tips for introverts, and the importance of choosing what you dial in to between your ears: U-SUCK or U-ROCK radio. We also have fun with Gluck’s question: If there are two introverts at a bus stop, who speaks first?

Boost your career along with your confidence. Here’s a free, quick video with a concrete tip to help you do the latter.

To learn more, I hope you’ll join me for the following webinars–as well as workshops in New York City:

How to Project Confidence with Demanding People – webinar
Tuesday, January 29, 2013, 1-2:30 p.m. (Eastern)
(Offered again on Thurs., March 28, 1-2:30 p.m.)
American Management Association
US$149 (more…)

Inauguration Week gets me thinking of a different US President I had the pleasure of meeting—Bill Clinton. Late one night when I arrived at my favorite hideout to work on a chapter of my book, Self-Promotion for Introverts®, I was surprised to find Clinton there, holding court. As an introvert, I would normally “stick to my knitting.” However, I had to try asking him a question for readers of my book. Clinton said something simple, but it really resonated with me—and I repeat it as a mantra whenever I challenge myself with a stretch assignment. I share the story in this video.

Video produced by Larry Bograd and Coleen Hubbard, and edited by David Plakke.

Copyright © 2012 Nancy Ancowitz

“Helping Introverts Succeed in School” by Terri Williams on Education.com offers insights for parents to help their young introverts thrive throughout their school years. Williams promotes honoring your little introvert’s natural strengths and inclinations rather than trying to make her or him act like an extrovert.